Like earlier posts mentioned, no one is really winning here. It's just a change of scenario type of trade and the pros/cons of both players pretty much balance each other out.

However, people always talk about team cohesiveness and that very rarely do you get a team that's been together for a long time. I would think familiarity and having played with each other before has some impact on performance and is an intangible characteristic. Would this trade make sense then? Is Williams, who might be a better scorer, worst distributor and same defensive ability as Calderon worth undermining the team chemistry/cohesiveness?

Maybe if we got a better defender in return, then it would make the team better, so yes. But I'd rather keep Calderon and stick with the familiarity factor than get Williams.

A point but I dont think anyone can dispute that Williams is quicker than Calderon. I am unsure about the true defensive capabilities of WIlliams (havent watched enough of his defensive game) so it must be seen how he would fare in a retooled Raptors system. I dont think we should diminish the 3 mill. savings in the 2 contracts to either get under the cap or acquire another player. Also with Bosh possibily leaving and prospects of a large turnover the familiarity argument gets diluted some. Williams was pretty good with his alleyoops to LJ.

He's far more aggressive on offense. He's a far better 3pt shooter. He's a better defender. He's more athletic, faster on his feet.

1. The Bucks teams were in rebuild mode. How's his record with the Cavs?
2. Mo had a higher true shooting percentage. Actually, his defensive rating was better than Jose's (107 Mo vs. 116 Jose in 2009/10). Oh and the net between offensive rating and defensive rating is +5 for Mo compare to +3 for Jose.
3. Mo could make the Spanish national team with his eyes closed.

Yes, he's more aggressive, and that's great, but Calderon makes more of a positive impact on the offensive end than Williams does. Calderon is the type of PG that makes his teammates better. The offense runs more smoothly when he's on the floor. Williams is a scoring PG, and worked well on the Cavs because the offense ran through LeBron and not him. And you'll notice that his three point shooting jumped quite a bit once he started playing beside LeBron. That's not a coincidence.

Arsenalist wrote:

As bodmon said, it's a trade which has more to do with change of scenery. I don't see what purpose Calderon is serving on this team and trading him for a shot-maker isn't a losing proposition. Williams isn't the defender which we need (as Buddah said) but it's not like this will be the only move we'll make all summer. He's got a similar contract as Calderon but has a higher degree of skill and puts out a better defensive effort than Jose.

More than anything, this is a trade which makes sense because we don't need Calderon. Mo Williams isn't anything great and just about the kind of player you'll get for Calderon in a straight swap.

You don't see what purpose Calderon is serving on the Raptors? Maybe to run the offense, especially with Turkoglu most likely on his way out of town. How many times did Calderon coming in with the second unit bring the team back from trailing after the first quarter? If both Bosh and Turkoglu go, the Raptors will definitely need someone to facilitate the offense. Williams can get his own points, but as I said, he's not going to make anyone around him better.

And for this reason, I kind of hope he gets traded. Tired of reading all the fickle QQ (what happened to all the Calderon > Ford and Calderon is an All-Star proponents?), and I think he'd do just fine playing in Cleveland with LBJ (assuming he stays).

Mo's final three years 2010/11: $9,300,000; 2011/12: $8,500,000; 2012/13: $8,500,000

Jose's final three years 2010/11: $9,000,000; 2011/12: $9,780,993; 2012/13: $10,561,985

What that means is that there is also some costs savings going on here.

Works out to exactly $3,042,978 with one, potentially large, difference not mentioned:

-- the last year of Williams' deal is a Player Option whereas Calderon's is guaranteed.

Do I think Williams will get a better deal elsewhere in 2012/13 and thus be a tradeable asset a year earlier than Calderon?

Not especially. A new CBA will cause some impressive salary deflation (imo) so I think Williams will exercise his PO.

UNKNOWN: we do not know, as of yet, if there are any buy-out clauses in play in either Calderon's or Williams' contract - if williams is an easy buy-out in 2012/13 then maybe the deal makes more sense.

In terms of overall impact on a team, imo, Calderon >> Williams

Unless something else, significant in nature, is in play I don't make that deal.